Kelantan today announced a ban on the import of prawn fry from Thailand after an outbreak of a deadly virus at breeding ponds in the country.

Sani Mohamad Isa, the head of the fisheries department in Kelantan, said initial investigations revealed that Thai prawns brought into the country were infected with the "white spot" disease.

The disease, which causes premature death in the crustaceans, was capable of totally destroying a pond full of prawns in just three months of infection, he told the official Bernama news agency.

Sani said the disease, which has no effect on humans, was believed to have been caused by a recent prolonged dry spell and has reportedly hit prawn breeders from southern Thailand and Indonesia.

The deadly virus has resulted in losses of almost RM2 million after some 400,000 fry from 87 breeding ponds in Kedah were recently infected.